★┊[ silent stares

aka… carl grimes coming across the girl of his dreams

warnings ~ reader is referred to femininely, tooth rotting fluff, mention of irl music... ik some ppl dont like that but idk!!!

w/c ~ ~800

── .✦ a/n ~ oh carl how ily... also yes there will be a part two dw dear readers!!!

Carl Grimes was never all that good with people

Sure, he's polite, knows how to talk to adults and function like a normal human being, but he doesn't often truly just get people. He's got friends, yeah, but only a select few close ones. He doesn't often talk to girls, can't make new friends easily, and just prefers who has has.

That is, until his eyes fall upon you.

He'd been picking up Judith from daycare one Saturday afternoon. The Virginia sun was beating down on his pale skin, making him sweat nearly through his shirt and flannel. At the time, he was — as any moody teenage would — quite bitter about having to pick his little sister up from daycare.

But later, he'd come to see it as fate.

A small bell chimes above him as he enters the building. To his right, an older woman stands at a desk. To his left, a mother is checking her kids out.

"Uhm, hi, I'm here for Judith? Judith Grimes?" He murmurs in a low voice.

"Judith?" The woman repeats, glancing out at the sea of children running around. "She should be in the story nook, next to that young lady right over there."

Carl doesn't end up hearing half of her words.

He's too busy staring at you.

Sitting in a rocking chair, with his little sister at her side, is you. In your hands is a picture book, one he recognizes as one of Judy's favorites, which you're reading aloud to her.

And you, who he recognizes from school.

He nods along aimlessly before walking off in his sister's direction.

"And then, when the shining sun rests until dawn, 'I love you,' whispers the moon, to all she gazes upon. 'Have dreams sweet as honey, my little baby fawn,'" You whisper to Judith, watching as she almost begins to doze off.

However, after catches a glimpse of her brother's face, she shoots up with sudden energy.

"Carl!" Her sweet voice exclaims, arms wrapping around his legs.

"Hey, Jude," He grins at the little girl, hoisting her up onto his hip and into his arms.

“I see someone’s a fan of The Beatles,” your voice cuts in. Sweet, soft and with a slight southern twinge.

Carl turns to the sound of your voice, only to freeze at the face standing before him.

“I— uhm, what?” He stammers. Shit. Shit, he sounds like an idiot.

“Nothing, nevermind,” you laugh — except not in a condescending way. It’s more sweet. Soft. He can’t help wanting to hear it more.

“So, I take it you’re the “big, bad Carl” I’ve heard so much about from this little sunflower?” You continue suddenly while gesturing to Judy.

Your words make him pause. You’ve heard of him? From Judith, no less? What did she tell you, he can’t help wondering. Was it good? Did she make him look cool?

“Uh, yeah, I guess. I’m her older brother.” He replies. His hands begin to sweat and he adjusts his grip on Judy.

“Yeah! He’s the best ever, he lets me stay up past my bedtime when—“ Judy begins, before being cut off by said “best ever” brother.

“Yup! That’s me, I’m so cool…!” He adjusts her once again, fighting the intense urge to scratch at his neck and look only at his feet — a nervous habit he’s had since he was young.

“So I’ve been told.” You smile up at him; that beautiful, big smile.

Christ, he’s already a goner.

“Hey, Carl, can we get ice cream??” Judy tugs on his sleeve as she whispers her request loudly in his ear. Carl simply laughs and shakes his head.

“Sure. Just don’t tell mama and papa, yeah?” He murmurs back with a sly smile.

You just keep staring at him, smiling that wry smile of yours, biting at your nail absentmindedly. You're being so obvious, and yet he doesn't catch on. Cute. Really, truly adorable, actually.

“Well, I hope you two have fun with your ice cream date. And I’m assuming I’ll see this little sunflower next week?” You say — but this time with a sweeter, expectant inflection to your tone. Like you’re saying “I better see you two next week.”

He can feel his cheeks heat up at the near request.

“Uhm— yeah! Definitely! Uh, thanks,” He stammers.

He feels like an idiot. Like a bumbling, weird idiot. Someone who’s blown his shot with the most beautiful girl he’s ever laid eyes on.

Little does he know, he’s accomplished the opposite.

You’re already plotting ways to get his attention in and out of school.

Later, when Carl is buckling Judith into her car seat with trembling fingers, it dawns on him just how far gone he is.

“Miss Sunshine is really awesome, huh?” Judy says, blissfully unaware of her big brother’s inner turmoil on said girl.

“Yep. She’s quite awesome.” He simply says back.

rick grimes who is such a perv when it comes to you...

rick grimes who always, always, checks out your ass when you're walking in front of him, and when you bend over to stab a walker he's starting right at your plump behind.

rick grimes who gets so horny when it's just you two out on runs. when you confront him about it he just said something like "just love bein' around my woman, stirs something in me."

rick grimes who has once opened your panties draw at alexandria and pocketed one just to have for when he's away from you. in which he most definitely uses it to get off to the thought of you, the lace panties wrapped around his hand as he strokes himself.

Daryl is not the most touchy-feely person. Hell when you first met he wouldn’t even talk to you.

All that he would give you was just some grunts here and there about how loud you walk through the woods, how much of a lousy shooter you are, how much you fumble with your gun.

,,Could ya make some more noise? ‘M not sure the walkers back there can hear ya’’

They all sounded just like a careless comments. Thrown your way just because you annoyed him. But truthfully, he didn’t want you to get hurt.

It started the first moment he met you. When you joined the group he wondered how did you even survive this long. You were weak, you didn’t know how to use your weapons well. You didn’t have the heart to hurt or kill.

For some reason though, he didn’t feel angry or frustrated with you. All he felt was this forceful need to protect you.

He wanted to shelter you from all the horrors of the new world. There was this soft tenuity that you had. Fragile and vulnerable. You reminded him of what he used to be, before he grew up. Before all the comments from Merle and beatings from his father got to him.

He had to reserve your innocence. Thing that was long lost in others, that still somehow survived in you. He had to keep you safe.

When you came from a supply run with a mere scratch on your arm or a little cut on your cheek he was internally seething with anger. Oh how could he let you go there?

He softened after some time, when he noticed how upset you got after he said some snarky remark. He didn’t mean it like that. He just wanted you to do it properly. To stop doing stupid stuff and getting yourself in danger. Gradually he became more gentle towards you. Kinder, encouraging.

And you really started to like him too, when you found out that he didn’t hate you.

Every time you somehow touched, every time you brushed your fingers against his, or bumped into his shoulder, your face instantly turned red.

You thought that you’d die when he was teaching you how to shoot from his crossbow. You were biting the inside of your cheek as he adjusted you. Directing your posture with his hands. Your stomach ached with butterflies when he touched your shoulder. His big hand supporting you.

You now melt into his touch every time.

When he brushes hair away from your face and his fingers just linger on the side of your flushed cheek.

When he lets you lay your head on his shoulder and nuzzle into his neck.

He’s not the type to grab your ass or make out in front of everyone and you respect that. You like it when its just intimate between you two.

You enjoy when he holds you as you fall asleep. Strong muscles wrapped around your body.

You like tugging his hair while he’s mumbling how “yer taking him so well, squeezin’ real tight” as he’s grabbing your tights and stretching you out.

Everyting about him is so perfect. He’s such a sweet boyfriend.

Y/N: if we had met before everything happened, when you were still that man you were when your brother was around, when I was still that girl I was when I didn’t know any better, do you think we would’ve still loved each other?

Daryl: I think we would’ve hated each other, found each other insufferable, but it’d be the kind of hate that’s not really hate, the kind that turns into passion and whatnot. So yeah, we’d eventually love each other.

You just stare at him for a moment. You were expecting a shrug or a short and simple answer, but this was just so sweet. So sweet you may have to tease him about it later. You look down to hide your smile and nod, “okay.”

Daryl notices your grin and a soft smile appears on his own lips.

Daryl: love ya.

Y/N: love ya too.

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝚰𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋

▐ paring : carl grimes x reader headcanons

၊|notes/warnings: blood mentioned, possible ooc, carl’s lost eye, fluff, season 6-8 carl grimes, season 8 spoilers, insecure carl, shy carl.

▐ DISCLAIMER: Sorry if it’s inaccurate! Haven’t wrote anything in a while nor have i done head canons!

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝚰𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋› Is the type to squeeze your hand three times to let you know that he’s here and that he’ll keep you safe. It’s his way of being here for you.

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝚰𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋› (First arriving to Alexandria) Will defend you whenever Ron or some other kid your age is being weird. He knows it can be awkward to reconnect with people after being on the road for years and he refuses to let others treat you badly.

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝚰𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋› The first time you killed a zombie, he was the first person to run to your side. He held onto you for hours refusing to let go because of how horrified you were and due to the fear of him possibly losing you.

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝚰𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋› Who can be incredibly shy around you at first. Overtime he grows and treats you like you’re the most precious person in the world. He’ll go on random runs to find you things and bring it back to you. When you tell him it’s dangerous he says, “i came back didn’t i?” with a small grin that makes you go speechless.

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝚰𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋› Who avoided you the day after he woke up from his injury with his missing eye. It wasn’t because he thought it was ugly, it’s because he was afraid of how you’d view him. He’d lock his door anytime you entered his house asking to see him and cried as he listened to your begging. By the time he finally opened the door, both of you guys were covered in tears.

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝚰𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋› Who saw his favorite comic characters use cheesy lines on their girlfriends and used it on you just to see if you’d act the same as they do in the comics. When you don’t he covers his face in embarrassment.

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝚰𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋› Who spent his last moments thinking of you once he was dying. He wondered how you’d react to the news and if you’d ever move on. He thought about if you’d continue to watch over his younger sister and live for him. He had a letter prepared for you just in case he ever did die, you found it the day after the incident.

four days gone

Pairing - Carl x reader Jealous over Carl’s friendship with Enid, you begin pulling away from him until a dangerous trip outside Alexandria leaves you lost for days

The first few days in Alexandria felt unreal to you. Clean sheets, warm showers, actual walls that kept the dead out — after everything your group had survived, it almost didn’t feel real. But despite finally being somewhere safe, there was still a heavy feeling sitting in your chest every time you saw Carl with Enid. The two of them were always together somehow, talking quietly while sitting on porches, wandering through the streets together, sharing those little private smiles that made jealousy twist painfully in your stomach.

You hated feeling that way, especially because Carl had always been closest to you. Through the prison, the road, hunger, fear, and every nightmare in between, the two of you had always found each other again. But now Alexandria had changed things, and you couldn’t stop convincing yourself that maybe Carl was slipping away from you.

One evening, you spotted him sitting on the steps outside one of the houses while Enid laughed at something he whispered to her, and before either of them could notice you staring, you turned around and walked off. Later that night, Carl found you sitting alone on a rooftop, knees pulled against your chest as you stared silently toward the walls surrounding Alexandria. “You’ve been acting weird lately,” he said softly as he sat beside you.

His voice carried genuine concern, which somehow only made your feelings worse. You shrugged without looking at him. “I’m fine.” Carl immediately frowned. “No, you’re not.” When you stayed quiet, he sighed quietly. “Did I do something?” You swallowed hard before finally muttering, “No. You just seem busy with other people now.” Carl looked confused at first before realization slowly crossed his face.

“You mean Enid?” Your silence answered for you. Carl stared at you for a moment before letting out a small breath of disbelief. “Wait… are you jealous?” “I’m not jealous,” you snapped too fast, finally turning to face him. “You two are just always together.” Carl’s expression softened immediately. “She’s my friend.” You looked away again. “Right.” Before he could continue, you stood up and climbed down from the roof, leaving Carl sitting there alone and frustrated.

Over the next week, things only got worse. You started avoiding Carl whenever possible, volunteering for supply runs just to stay out of Alexandria longer and spending most evenings alone.

Every time Carl tried talking to you, you brushed him off before he could get more than a few words out. It hurt more than you expected too, because part of you could tell Carl genuinely didn’t understand why you were pushing him away, but every time you saw Enid near him, your chest tightened all over again.

One morning, after barely sleeping the entire night, you slipped outside Alexandria’s walls without telling anyone where you were going. You just needed space. Away from Carl, away from Enid, away from the horrible jealousy and confusion twisting around inside your head.

At first the woods were quiet, leaves crunching beneath your boots as you wandered aimlessly, too distracted by your thoughts to pay attention to where you were headed. Then suddenly a walker burst out from behind a tree and grabbed your arm with a rotten snarl. You screamed in shock, barely managing to stab it through the skull before another emerged from the trees.

Then another.

Panic hit instantly. You ran without thinking, branches scratching against your skin as walkers groaned somewhere behind you. Your breathing became uneven, your heart pounding violently in your chest as you pushed deeper into unfamiliar woods just trying to survive. By the time the sounds of the walkers finally disappeared, you realized with growing horror that you had no idea where you were anymore.

The next few days were miserable. You survived off scraps you found in abandoned cars and tiny amounts of rainwater collected in broken containers. At night you hid inside empty buildings with your knife clutched tightly in your hands, barely sleeping because every little noise made your heart jump.

But the worst part wasn’t the fear, it was thinking about Alexandria and Carl. Every night your mind drifted back to him. The way he smiled at you, the way he always looked for you first after runs, the way his voice softened whenever he talked to you.

You wondered if he was angry you left. You wondered if he even noticed you were gone. Back in Alexandria, Carl was losing his mind. The second people realized you were missing, he volunteered for every search run, refusing to stop looking even after multiple failed attempts. One night, after returning exhausted and covered in dirt, Carl argued with Rick in the middle of the living room.

“I should be out there right now,” he snapped angrily. “She’s alone.” Rick tried reasoning with him, but Carl only became more frustrated. “I knew something was wrong with her and I didn’t do anything about it.” His voice cracked slightly at the end, making the room fall silent.

Later that night, Enid quietly found Carl sitting on the porch staring toward Alexandria’s gates. “You love her, don’t you?” she asked softly. Carl looked down for a moment before giving a small nod.

“Yeah,” he admitted quietly. “I do.” Enid smiled a little sadly before nudging his shoulder. “Then tell her when she gets back.” Carl swallowed hard and whispered, “If she gets back.”

By the fourth day, exhaustion was dragging your entire body down. Your legs ached, your throat burned from dehydration, and you were beginning to lose hope of ever finding your way back. Then suddenly, through the trees, you spotted the tall walls of Alexandria in the distance. Relief hit so hard it almost made you collapse.

The second the gates opened and you stumbled inside, voices erupted around you in shock and relief. People rushed toward you asking questions, but before you could respond, Carl came sprinting across the street toward you. The second he reached you, he grabbed you tightly enough to nearly knock the air from your lungs. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed shakily against your shoulder.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again.” You froze in surprise at how tightly he held onto you, like he thought if he let go you might disappear again. When he finally pulled back, you saw tears gathered in his eyes, his face pale with exhaustion and fear. “You were gone for four days,” he said, voice cracking. “I thought you died.”

Guilt crashed into you immediately. “I’m sorry,” you whispered weakly. Carl let out a frustrated laugh and wiped at his eyes angrily. “I was losing my mind looking for you.” Slowly everyone else backed away, sensing the moment belonged to the two of you alone.

You stared down at the ground nervously before finally speaking again. “I didn’t mean to leave like that. I was just upset.” Carl already knew. “Because of Enid?” You nodded once. “I thought maybe you liked her more than me.” Carl looked genuinely stunned before shaking his head. “Are you serious?” He stepped closer immediately.

“I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you I like you for months.” Your breath caught painfully in your chest. “What?” Carl laughed softly, nervous now himself. “You really didn’t know?” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before quietly admitting, “It’s always been you.” Tears instantly filled your eyes again, exhaustion and relief crashing into you all at once. Carl’s expression softened completely as he gently brushed dirt and tears from your cheek.

“Hey,” he whispered carefully. “You’re okay now.” You let out a shaky breath before finally admitting the truth. “I like you too. I think I always have.” The tension between you both finally disappeared as Carl smiled at you in pure relief, the kind of smile that made your heart ache. He rested his forehead gently against yours and whispered, “I thought I lost you.” Your hands grabbed onto his jacket tightly as you whispered back, “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”